Giant Squid Fact Sheet
Giant Squid Fact Sheet Giant squid
Phylum: Mollusca Class: Cephalopoda Family: Architeuthidae Genus: Architeuthis
Description: The giant squid consists of a mantle (body) with two fins, a head, eight arms and two long feeding tentacles. The gills are inside the mantle and the squid has extremely large eyes, measuring approximately 11 inches (27 cm) in diameter. It is possible that early encounters with the giant squid inspired tales of mythical sea monsters such as the kraken.The best known ficitional story about this animal is in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. Size: If measured from the front of the body to the tip of the tentacles, this is one of the largest animals on Earth. Females can measure up 43 feet (13 m) and males up to 33 feet (13 m). This is approximately the height of a 3-story house.
What preys on the predator?
Outside of the Sperm Whale, It is unlikely that the giant squid has many natural predators. Some deep-sea sharks may hunt juvenile squid. Where can the giant squid be found?
Diet: The squid feeds mostly on deep-sea fish and other squid. The long feeding tentacles are used to snare prey and pull it into the shorter arms. The squid’s mouth is shaped like a parrot’s beak and can quickly and efficiently cut apart prey animals. Conservation Status: There is no way to know exactly how many giant squid exist worldwide, but the International Union for the Conservation of Nature considers them as a species of “least concern,” meaning they are not under immediate threat of extinction or in need of conservation. Like all deep-sea animals, however, it is reasonable to assume that the giant squid is susceptible to marine pollution, loss of food sources and the impacts of climate change.
Scientists estimate the squid’s range based on where deceased specimens have been found. The Northern and Southern Atlantic, the South Pacific and along the southern coast of Africa are the most common places to find dead squid. No specimens have been found in polar regions.
oceanscape.aquarium.org
Phylum: Mollusca Class: Cephalopoda Family: Architeuthidae Genus: Architeuthis
Description: The giant squid consists of a mantle (body) with two fins, a head, eight arms and two long feeding tentacles. The gills are inside the mantle and the squid has extremely large eyes, measuring approximately 11 inches (27 cm) in diameter. It is possible that early encounters with the giant squid inspired tales of mythical sea monsters such as the kraken.The best known ficitional story about this animal is in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. Size: If measured from the front of the body to the tip of the tentacles, this is one of the largest animals on Earth. Females can measure up 43 feet (13 m) and males up to 33 feet (13 m). This is approximately the height of a 3-story house.
What preys on the predator?
Outside of the Sperm Whale, It is unlikely that the giant squid has many natural predators. Some deep-sea sharks may hunt juvenile squid. Where can the giant squid be found?
Diet: The squid feeds mostly on deep-sea fish and other squid. The long feeding tentacles are used to snare prey and pull it into the shorter arms. The squid’s mouth is shaped like a parrot’s beak and can quickly and efficiently cut apart prey animals. Conservation Status: There is no way to know exactly how many giant squid exist worldwide, but the International Union for the Conservation of Nature considers them as a species of “least concern,” meaning they are not under immediate threat of extinction or in need of conservation. Like all deep-sea animals, however, it is reasonable to assume that the giant squid is susceptible to marine pollution, loss of food sources and the impacts of climate change.
Scientists estimate the squid’s range based on where deceased specimens have been found. The Northern and Southern Atlantic, the South Pacific and along the southern coast of Africa are the most common places to find dead squid. No specimens have been found in polar regions.
oceanscape.aquarium.org
